European Union: International Law

Latvia's Customs enforcement activity reveals significant interception of sanctioned goods destined for Russia, with military equipment seizures and millions in confiscated cargo. How effective are border controls in preventing sanctions evasion, and what does the scale of these operations tell us about smuggling attempts?

The EU's naval operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini has conducted another boarding of a sanctioned oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea. An Italian naval vessel inspected the MV Sun south of Sicily to verify its flag status, marking the third such operation reported in recent weeks targeting vessels suspected of involvement in sanctions evasion.

The Hague Court of Appeal has delivered its ruling on an appeal concerning the quantum of confiscation in a 2024 sanctions violation case involving the export of goods to Russian companies. Despite rejecting all defense arguments regarding cost deductions and financial means, the Court unexpectedly reduced the confiscation amount from €298,310 to €250,195 without providing any reasoning or legal basis for the reduction.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered a landmark judgment addressing whether effective geo-blocking can lawfully restrict online access to copyrighted works across territorial boundaries, and whether the mere possibility of VPN circumvention undermines such technological measures. The case examines the fundamental tension between territorial copyright protection and the borderless nature of internet access, with significant implications for digital content providers operating across multi

The Unified Patent Court's Court of Appeal examines critical questions of patent validity, including whether omitting disclosed features constitutes added matter when functional or structural links exist, and how technical effects factor into determining essential features for inventive step analysis. The decision also addresses procedural boundaries for raising new legal arguments on appeal.

The Unified Patent Court's Court of Appeal issued a significant ruling on evidence production requests in appeal proceedings involving Network System Technologies LLC and Qualcomm entities. This case addresses procedural matters under Rule 190 of the Rules of Procedure concerning three European patents related to telecommunications technology.

L'Arabie saoudite rejoint le système de Madrid pour l'enregistrement international des marques, ouvrant de nouvelles opportunités de protection pour les titulaires de marques. Cette adhésion au Protocole de Madrid permettra aux entreprises de désigner l'Arabie saoudite dans leurs demandes internationales à partir d'octobre 2026.

The EU's naval operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini has conducted another boarding of a sanctioned oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea. An Italian naval vessel inspected the MV Sun south of Sicily to verify its flag status, marking the third such operation reported in recent weeks targeting vessels suspected of involvement in sanctions evasion.

The European Union's new CRD VI directive fundamentally reshapes how US banks can conduct corporate lending across EU Member States, introducing mandatory branch licensing requirements that eliminate...